Behind the Numbers: Should we compensate whistleblowers?

Whistleblowing is a vital process but often fraught with far more risk and emotional upheaval than it should be. In Western Europe, 43% of all occupational fraud cases come to light thanks to whistleblowers. And it’s not just fraud: cases from poor health-and-safety practices to bad team management have all been righted thanks to people speaking out.

Although many whistleblowing cases do result in bad practice being stopped and workplaces improved, some whistleblowers have been victimised or forced out of their jobs. In the UK, the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence will mandate large employers to put clear whistleblowing policies in place, and both the Serious Fraud Office and HMRC are looking at schemes to incentivise whistleblowing.

Andrew Pepper-Parsons, Director of Policy and Communications at whistleblowing charity Protect, and Brendan Weekes, Associate Director at accountancy firm, S&W, join our host Philippa Lamb to discuss the topic, why a significant minority of whistleblowers don’t get the requisite protection and what the forthcoming regulation and potential SFO and HMRC schemes will mean for UK business. 

They also both discuss some best practice case studies from organisations that are doing a good job of encouraging people to speak up when they see something that’s not right. This includes the Wellcome Trust’s excellently named scheme “The Only Way is Ethics”.

Links

• https://protect-advice.org.uk/checklist-for-whistleblowers/
• https://whistleblowersblog.org/global-whistleblowers/uks-sfo-director-continues-to-push-for-whistleblower-awards/
• https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/sep-2025/the-four-elements-of-effective-whistleblowing-culture
• https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2025/jun-2025/why-whistleblowing-is-a-requirement-not-a-choice-for-accountants

Host

Philippa Lamb

Guests

●       Andrew Pepper-Parsons, Director of Policy and Communications, Protect

●       Brendan Weekes, Associate Director, S&W

 Producer

Natalie Chisholm

Episode first published: 25 September 2025

Podcast recorded: 12 September 2025